Multiple Auckland Champ Mikey Phillips put out an Insty post about two NZ Surfing mags from 20 years ago. The first one was his cover issue the July/August 2002 mag and the second 18 months later, the Nov/Dec 2003 issue. Mikey featured heavily in both issues. Last week was all Mikey's Cover shot issue [You can read that post HERE], so this week is all about Ric Christie's first ever cover, The Nov/Dec 2003 issue.
I was the Senior Photographer and Editor of the magazine at the time, halfway through my 15 year tenure at the surf mag. The early 2000's were a hugely significant era in surf print worldwide, and especially here in NZ. The business of surfing was about to blow up. With that surf print went nuts too, advertising revenue went through the roof and so did readership.
In 2003 we overhauled the magazine, gave it a facelift by upping the size and the changing paper stock to matt/satin. I pestered the printer about size options. We went through multiple quotes and options, the publisher knocking most of them back. He felt the magazine was performing fine so why rock the boat and why incur extra printing costs? Almost out the frustration the print rep mentioned, 'you know you can go to 230mm x 295mm on the same press and paper stock aye?'. 'How much?'. 'Nothing, it's just a change to the trimming'. 'I think I can talk the boss into that!'
It was a subtle squaring up and made the magazine 2cms wider than the standard A4 [4cms on a double page spread!] It meant we could also [lamely] claim NZ Surfing was the biggest surf mag. This issue was the second in the new format and the first one had sold very well. I've always felt that from mid 2003 I was starting to find my feet as an editor, strategising the flow of the content better, being more confident in the direction... it had taken some years!
Once again the cliche has to come out; 2003 was a different world of tech. Surf photographers worldwide were all still shooting 100% on film. But graphic design and production tech was changing rapidly. We could now get the frames of film drum scanned at a scanning house, then the scanner would courier the burnt CD's with the high resolution file from that image at the publishers. In turn we had computers grunty enough to merge those high resolution files. It reads like basic stuff now, but it was a huge advancement in 2003. At the surf mag we embraced the tech with vigour, to be really honest I don't know if this magazine issue has stood the test of time.
Should the cover had been just the single frame instead of a 3 frame merge? Ric Christie thinks not! " Nah, the sequence was way better.' Ric added about getting the cover; ' Broooo!! Best thing that ever happened to me at that moment in time. It didn't feel real. I can't quite remember for sure, but I think I was at the supermarket and being buzzed out it was me. It's what dreams are made of mate!!!' ohhh that's warmed the cockles of me ol' salty heart.
Some of the sequences in 'the Bigger than Big Sequence Issue' are a bit clunky. I think we forced a few that would have been way better as the single feature shot of the sequence.
Mikey Phillips’ feature sequence; the main shot is sick, but do the first and last two really need to be there?
Like the opening feature spread ....sick bottom turn that has definitely stood the test of time.
The Primo roadie this issue was based around the Phillips brothers in the Far North. Jamie Phillips in a very Kiwi setting... and quite the quote from the ex pat Jamie, it reads 'Having sex is like playing Bridge, If you don't have a good partner, you better have a good hand.' -gold.
How sick is this sequence of Maz by Rowan Klevtsul! Maybe the mergey thing worked on some of the feature spreads.
Cool to see, now mother of two, Mischa debuting as Rising Grom 20 years ago. The Piha surfer has lived in the Far North on the East coast for 5 or more years now. Misch went on to win National titles in the Open Women's and Longboarding.
All in all the Nov/Dec 2003 wasn't terrible, the magazines were really starting to bulk up, this mag was 86 pages plus an A0 poster.
FROM THE BOOK SHOP
Yess back in its third print. The Big Little Beach Book is available again, it is slowly getting into books stores and surf shops over the next few weeks. You can buy The Big Little Beach Book through the PhotoCPL Website HERE now, if you want it now.